[Edit] C: Arrays

Author: Sriparno08

content/c/concepts/arrays/arrays.md

@@ -1,60 +1,90 @@
 ---
 Title: 'Arrays'
-Description: 'In the C language, an array is a data structure of a fixed length that stores a list of values.'
+Description: 'An array in C is a data structure that allows users to store a fixed-size sequence of elements of the same data type.'
 Subjects:
   - 'Code Foundations'
   - 'Computer Science'
 Tags:
   - 'Arrays'
   - 'Lists'
+  - 'Values'
   - 'Variable Types'
 CatalogContent:
   - 'learn-c'
   - 'paths/computer-science'
 ---
 
-In the C language, an array is a list of values, with a fixed length.
+An **array** in C is a data structure that enables users to store a fixed-size sequence of elements of the same [data type](https://www.codecademy.com/resources/docs/c/data-types). Arrays are useful when there is a need to work with collections of data, such as lists of numbers, characters, or other values.
 
-Being able to store multiple pieces of related information in the same structure is very useful when writing C programs.
+**Key Characteristics:**
 
-## Declaring an Array
+- **Fixed Size**: Once declared, the size of the array cannot be changed.
+- **Homogeneous Elements**: All array elements must be of the same data type (e.g., `int`, `float`, etc.).
+- **Indexed Access**: Elements are accessed using zero-based indexing (the first element is at index `0`).
+- **Contiguous Memory Allocation**: Array items are stored in consecutive memory locations, which makes accessing them efficient.
+- **Efficient Iteration**: Arrays can be easily traversed using loops, allowing users to perform operations on each element.
+- **No Bounds Checking**: C does not perform automatic bounds checking, so accessing out-of-range elements may lead to undefined behavior.
 
-The syntax for declaring an array is first specify the data type, then a descriptive array name, followed by square brackets surrounding the array's length (number of items):
+## Declaring and Initializing an Array
+
+Here is the syntax for declaring an array in C:
 
 ```pseudo
 type name[length];
 ```
 
-To declare an `int` array named `grades` with a length of 6:
+In the syntax:
+
+- `type`: The data type of the elements to be stored in the array.
+- `name`: The name of the array.
+- `length`: The length or the number of elements to be stored in the array.
+
+This example declares an `int` array named `grades` with a length of `6`:
 
 ```c
-int grades[6]; // An array to hold six integers
+int grades[6];
 ```
 
-Alternatively, the length can be omitted and the array's initial values can be assigned to it instead. Values are assigned inside of the curly brackets and separated by commas.
+Though an array can be initialized after declaration, it is generally initialized during declaration. Here is the syntax for it:
+
+```pseudo
+type name[length] = {value1, value2, ..., valueN};
+```
+
+In the syntax:
+
+- `value1, value2, ..., valueN`: The elements to be stored in the array.
+
+This example declares and intializes the `grades` array with values:
 
 ```c
 int grades[] = {96, 90, 78, 84, 88, 92};
 ```
 
-## Accessing Values with Indexes
+> **Note:** When arrays are initalized during declaration, the length is generally omitted.
 
-The values in arrays are accessed using their index, or their position in the array. They can either be assigned or used this way.
+## Accessing Array Elements
+
+The values in arrays are accessed using their index or position in the array.
+
+For example, here is an array:
 
 ```c
 char vowels[] = {'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'};
 ```
 
-Note that in C, an array's indexes start at 0 instead of 1:
+The index chart for the array will look like this:
 
-```pseudo
+```plaintext
       +-------------------------+
 Value | 'a'  'e'  'i'  'o'  'u' |
       +-------------------------+
 Index |  0    1    2    3    4  |
       +-------------------------+
 ```
 
+> **Note:** In C, an array's indices start at `0` instead of `1`.
+
 An element can be accessed by referring to the array name and the element's index number:
 
 - `vowels[0]` will give the value `'a'`
@@ -63,34 +93,125 @@ An element can be accessed by referring to the array name and the element's inde
 - `vowels[3]` will give the value `'o'`
 - `vowels[4]` will give the value `'u'`
 
+Here is an example:
+
 ```c
-char vowels[] = {'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'};
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int main() {
+  char vowels[] = {'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'};
+
+  putchar(vowels[3]);
 
-putchar(vowels[3]);
-// Output: o
+  return 0;
+}
 ```
 
-## Example
+The output will be:
 
-Creating an array that holds the snowfall measurements (in the nearest inch) from the past 7 days:
+```shell
+o
+```
+
+## Modifying Array Elements
+
+The items of an array can be modified by directly assigning values to specific indices:
 
 ```c
 #include <stdio.h>
 
 int main() {
-  int snowfall[] = {10, 13, 14, 11, 9, 8, 6};
-  printf("%d\n", snowfall[0]);
+  int numbers[3] = {1, 2, 3};
+
+  numbers[0] = 10;
 
-  snowfall[2] = 16; // Update an element
-  printf("%d\n", snowfall[2]);
+  for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+    printf("%d\n", numbers[i]);
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
 ```
 
-The output would be:
+Here is the output:
 
 ```shell
 10
-16
+2
+3
 ```
+
+## Iterating an Array
+
+Arrays in C can be traversed using loops such as `for`, `while`, or `do-while`. The `for` [loop](https://www.codecademy.com/resources/docs/c/loops) is most commonly used for this purpose:
+
+```c
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int main() {
+  int numbers[] = {5, 10, 15, 20, 25};
+  int i;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+    printf("%d\n", numbers[i]);
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+```
+
+Here is the output:
+
+```shell
+5
+10
+15
+20
+25
+```
+
+## Example: Basic Array Operations
+
+Here's a complete example demonstrating array declaration, initialization, element modification, and iteration:
+
+```c
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int main() {
+  int marks[5] = {80, 85, 90, 75, 95};
+
+  // Modify one element
+  marks[2] = 100;
+
+  // Print all elements
+  for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+    printf("Student %d: %d marks\n", i + 1, marks[i]);
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+```
+
+Here is the output:
+
+```shell
+Student 1: 80 marks
+Student 2: 85 marks
+Student 3: 100 marks
+Student 4: 75 marks
+Student 5: 95 marks
+```
+
+## Frequently Asked Questions
+
+### 1. Can arrays in C store elements of different data types?
+
+No. arrays in C are homogeneous, meaning all elements must be of the same data type.
+
+### 2. Is it possible to change the size of an array after declaration?
+
+No. The size of an array is fixed once declared. For dynamic sizes, consider using dynamic memory allocation with `malloc()`.
+
+### 3. What happens if I access an element out of the array's bounds?
+
+Accessing out-of-bounds elements in an array leads to undefined behavior and can cause unpredictable results or crashes.